Recently, a guide rail type vehicle that runs on a track or a set route on a road surface or the like has been proposed. The vehicle is configured to run along a guide rail on the track by a guide device having a guide wheel (for example, see Patent Literature 1 and 2).
FIG. 17 shows one example of a guide device of a conventional guide rail type vehicle. As shown in FIG. 17, a truck (not shown) of the vehicle includes a lateral beam 71 that extends in the vehicle width direction, and an L-shaped guide arm 72 is rotatably mounted to a distal end portion of the lateral beam 71 via a pin 73. The L-shaped guide arm 72 is constituted by a first link 72a extending in the vehicle width direction, and a second link 72b extending in the vehicle front and rear direction. A guide wheel supporting member 74 extending in the vehicle front and rear direction is provided at an end portion of the first link 72a, and a main guide wheel 75 and a branch guide wheel 76 are rotatably mounted to the guide wheel supporting member 74 via a bearing. The second link 72b of the L-shaped guide arm 72 is also connected to the lateral beam 71 via a guide shaft 77.
As shown in FIG. 17, a cylindrical buffer rubber 78 is arranged between the second link 72b and the lateral beam 71. The cylindrical buffer rubber 78 is held between rubber seats 79. For example, when the main guide wheel 75 receives a force indicated by an arrow F from a guide rail (not shown), the L-shaped guide arm 72 rotates in the direction of an arrow X around the pin 73. At this point, the guide shaft 77 moves in the direction of an arrow Y, so that the buffer rubber 78 is compressed. A load applied to the lateral beam 71 when the main guide wheel 75 is in contact with the guide rail is thereby absorbed.
FIG. 18 shows another example of a guide device of a conventional guide rail type vehicle. As shown in FIG. 18, a reciprocation rod 82 extending outward in the vehicle width direction is mounted to an end portion 81a in the vehicle width direction of a guide arm 81 via a guide tube 83. A guide wheel bracket 84 is mounted to a distal end portion 82a of the reciprocation rod 82, and a guide wheel 85 is rotatably mounted to the guide wheel bracket 84.
As shown in FIG. 18, a guide portion 86 is also provided around the guide arm 81 at the distal end portion 81a of the guide arm 81. Guide rods 87 connected to the guide wheel bracket 84 are arranged within the guide portion 86. A buffer spring 88 is arranged around the guide rod 87. Accordingly, when the guide wheel 85 is in contact with a guide rail (not shown), the reciprocation rod 82 slides inward in the vehicle width direction along with the guide wheel bracket 84. At this point, the buffer spring 88 arranged around the guide rod 87 is compressed, thereby absorbing a load applied to the guide arm 81.
FIG. 19 shows yet another example of a guide device of a conventional guide rail type vehicle. As shown in FIG. 19, a truck (not shown) of the guide rail type vehicle includes a rectangular guide frame 91, and the guide frame 91 includes guide lateral beams 92 that extend in the vehicle width direction. Guide wheels 93 are rotatably mounted to both end portions of the vehicle width direction of the guide lateral beam 92. In the conventional example, the guide lateral beam 92 and the guide frame 91 are connected to each other by two links via a buffer rod 94. With the configuration, a load transmitted to the guide frame 91 from the guide lateral beam 92 when the guide wheel 93 is in contact with a guide rail 95 is absorbed by the buffer rod 94.